1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to voice communications in a telecommunication network. More particularly, the invention pertains to the monitoring of calls and the selective presentation of call information to call parties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional telecommunication network, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), parties participating in a voice call are generally not able to monitor call duration unless they time the call themselves. Although callers using pay telephones or prepaid calling cards will receive a warning when their authorized telephone time is nearing an end, they are not told how long an active call has been in progress.
As a result, callers who make long distance calls, 900 charge calls, etc., or who receive collect calls, can incur significant telephone charges if they fail to pay attention to the length of the call. What would be desirable is a system for providing a warning or notification to a call party that serves as an indication of call duration. Such a system should preferably be available at the outset of a call as well as during a call, and should be available to each of the call parties, or at least the party who will be billed for a call.
A solution to the forgoing problem and an advance in the art is provided by an elapsed time reminder system for a telecommunication network. The elapsed time reminder system provides elapsed time reminder service to a party participating in a call in the network. A call state processing component of the elapsed time reminder system processes requests for elapsed time reminder service. An elapsed time reminder interval may be specified by a requesting party, or a default interval may be used. After the service is invoked, a timer is reset to monitor call duration. When the reminder interval is reached, an elapsed time reminder announcement is played to the requesting party.
Elapsed time reminder service can be provided in response to a request made by the requesting party at call initiation or during mid-call. The requesting party may either be a call originator or a call recipient. If service is requested at call initiation, the timer is preferably not reset until the call is connected between both parties. If service is requested during mid-call, the timer is preferably not reset until the call is reconnected following the request for service. Whether the elapsed timer reminder service is provided at call initiation or during mid-call, the service can be invoked based on digits dialed by the requesting party. These service invocation digits may include a service code and an elapsed time reminder period.
In its preferred embodiments, the invention is implemented using the existing IN (Intelligent Network) infrastructure of modern telephone networks, with appropriate modifications being made thereto. In particular, it is contemplated that there will be one or more service control points providing Intelligent Network services on behalf of switching nodes that setup calls between call originating and call terminating equipment. To provide elapsed time reminder service, the switching nodes are adapted to receive a service code and an elapsed time interval period value from the requesting party. The receiving switching node routes the service code and the elapsed time interval value to a service control point providing Intelligent Network services to the switching node. The service control point processes the service code and the elapsed time interval and then sends a timer reset request back to the switching node. The timer reset request contains a timer identifier and the elapsed time interval value specified by the requesting party. At the switching node, a timer corresponding to the timer identifier is reset. An elapsed time announcement is then generated whenever the timer reaches the elapsed time interval value.